Life, the Universe and Everything

Volume three, which collects Arthur Dent off prehistoric Earth and sets him against the people of Krikkit — a planet that grew up under a dust cloud, never suspected anything else existed, and reacted to the discovery by deciding the rest of the universe had to go. It is the series at its most plot-shaped, and it supplies several of the running gags that outlived it: the Somebody Else’s Problem field, Agrajag, and the exact reason flying is a matter of forgetting to hit the ground.

Context: One of five volumes the a16z list groups under a single series entry. Kyle’s ruling for this reading list was to card each named title, so the sequels get their own pages rather than hiding inside a series card.

Connections

• a16z Infra Reading List — where this is listed, in the top tier.
• Douglas Adams — the author.
• Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy — volume one, already read.
• The Restaurant at the End of the Universe — volume two.
• So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish — volume four.
• Science Fiction — the genre.